party with their guests being nearby families. parents planning to set up their children into a courtship/marriage.

Smith wearing a cravat that makes his neck itch. thin shirt not enough to keep him warm in the shade of the house. the afternoon is breezy, and the curtains of the sunroom billow as the wind blows through the open doors and windows of the manor. He gulps down tea surreptitiously, hidden near the buffer as to not be bothered. decidedly stuffing himself with delicate sandwiches and drowning himself in tea so he doesn’t have to speak.
“Alex, dear?”
Fuck, he’s been noticed. Smith swallows down the cucumber sandwich he’d stuffed in his mouth and looks over his shoulder.
He mother searches him out, with a young woman trailing behind her.
Smith brushes his waistcoat free of crumbs from the buttery little shortbread biscuits he’d been eating.
“Yes?”
“You remember Marie, don’t you dear?”
“Ah, yes. Hello.” awkward smile like he hasn’t just been stuffing his face. hopes there isn’t food stuck to his facial hair.
“Her cousin Chris is a friend of yours from school. He should be around here somewhere- oh there he is. Chris, dear!” waves him over “You remember Alex, don’t you?”

Smith knows Trott from a secret tryst at boarding school the year before they graduated.

offers to show Trott around the estate, out to the stables (“I’ll have to take you riding sometime *wink*” *smirk* “You’ll be the one doing the riding, sunshine, not me.”), and down by the pond. pushes Trott in with a splash “You utter cock!” Trott protests, spluttering water “you bring all the girls out here, too, just to get them wet?”
Smith laughs. “it’s summer, you’ll be fine. I’m not out here much in spring, often ill with fever. I’m allergic to some of the trees we have on the property. I spend a lot of the days in spring cooped up inside when they blossom.”

They wander the grounds, and catch up. talk about how their parents want to set them up with girls. “Ugh. I’d rather eat a dick.”

They walk along the trails, and through the fields. Trott’s clothes are soaked, so to get Smith back he tackles him to the ground. grass stains and dirt everywhere. shedding clothes, end up fucking out in the summer heat. leap in the pond to get that sex stench out as to not look suspicious, and then go back to the house.

heavily tutted by their mothers.
“Alex, it’s almost as if you are still a child.”
“Nothing wrong with being young at heart, mother.” Smith runs a hand through his wild hair and grins.
sigh. “Best clean up, the both of you. Supper will be in an hour, and I don’t want to see a speck of dirt between you two.”
“Yes ma’am.”
They dart up the stairs.
“There won’t be any clothes between the two of us, either, later.” Smith says under his breath.
“Oh, hush.” Trott scoffs, swatting Smith’s hands away from grabbing his ass.

They clean up in the same shower in Smith’s room. kissing under the running water.
At dinner they’re trying to hide their infatuation for each other, playing footsie under the table. Smith teasing his fingers across Trott’s crotch. Trott stomps on his foot, and Smith nearly chokes on his food.
that night, Smith sneaks into Trott’s guest room to sleep in the same bed as him. pesters Trott awake and they lay in the darkness, occasionally kissing and talking. Trott shoos Smith out before morning to go back to his rooms.